Cleveland Cobbles Wrap Up...

Looking back on things and conversation; I guess this was the 5 yr of Cleveland Cobbles. Maybe I don’t count the first year, and make a big to-do about next year…any case; the day was a beautiful sunny Sunday in the late 40’s to low 50’s and we made a record right out of the gate we had a flat. So after that got fixed, we were on our way. Our normal start; up old Denison, down, & up Valley and onto the cobbles. We took a detour down some gravel and up to Harmondy park where we had a nice 20 minute wait. A few flats, and a broken chain later; we were on our way again and into Old Brooklyn.

Near the zoo we hit a nice little mud section, and some more mud at Brookside Reservation. Getting into Tremont was pretty uneventful. Getting out, was not. We drop quite a few riders getting to W. 41^st. We rode into Ohio City, and the cobbles were feeling good. Some really good roads over there. Zig-zagged around Ohio City and took a new route into the Flats passing the old Bounce. Getting to the hill in the Flats on Main, I noticed my right shifter getting loose, so standing up and thrashing the bike up the hill, might not be a good idea. Then I noticed if the lever was pushed down then it would tighten up the brake…not my first rodeo, so I made due for the time.

Out of the Flats and back into Tremont, I found myself in the back of the pack as I was getting my food on.  Through Tremont and past a couch after a pedestrian bridge, up and around W. 12st…and it was a vote for the Rowley Inn. Some went in for some…ummm…carbs. Then down the hill and more mud, and a few laps around the track. Then it was time for the last official hill, Holmden Ave. & my legs felt it on this one.

Down behind Steelyard, as I chatted with Michelle Mead. Our route was impeded by a train. Our choice was to go up Old Denison or hop over the train; over the train it was. First time for everything.

Back to the truck for some much deserved Nooma and other carbs.

Here's a Strava link to the map this year...

https://www.strava.com/activities/293284406

Great ride this year, thanks to all that came out….

what went wrong? or 765 has nowhere to go but up...

Let’s take a look at the week and day leading up to the Amish Roubaix before the actual race.

Eric had the flu and down for at least 2 days.  Chris was ok for most of the week, until the end…flu as well & on the day of. I didn’t do anything on the bike for a week, plus the day before I didn’t really eat much, and had a lot of beer. Almost threw up the morning of, but not because of the beer. My stomach just wasn’t doing well. I’m sure the beer and lack of food didn’t help.

Chris slept most of the drive down to Millersburg. Once we get down there, the smart thing to do at sign in would have been to switch to the 50k and get the hell out of the 100k…well, we weren’t smart.  We line up with the other 100k guys, and from the looks and talk of others, people were taking this damn thing seriously. So now I as a guy who just wants to go out and have fun, have to worry about someone that thinks that they are going to win this. Great…

Right off the start…we’re all in the back and we’re struggling to just hold on. So that didn’t last for long, as it seemed that everyone was taking this way too seriously. Headed up the first climb, and we were by ourselves.

 

As for myself, as I got over the first major hill at mile 5 I knew something was off. The downhill on the other side was fun, but I should not have ridden my cross bike because it seemed a little too twitchy on the downhills. Then as I hit the second big climb around mile 8 I knew what was wrong…my back started to seize up. It got real tight, and became difficult to move on the bike. While I was on the flats and downhills, I was fine. But to point the bike upward with climbs were there was no choice but to stay in the saddle, because if you stood up you’d wash out…so sit and spin on a tight back it was. So not a good climbing day at all.

I started to pass others that were having mechanical and what seemed to be other problems around mile 12. Around mile 15 the 50k guys started to pass rather quickly like it was a race or something. The last climb around mile 23 was brutal. Straight up. I caught up to Chis there, and started to serpentine the hill. My single speed experience comes into play. Cut the angle of the hill. I rode it much faster than going straight up. Once at the top, I took off. Seriously…I went like mad. I started catching people, and blowing right by them. Where was this power at the start?

As I neared the end of the first loop, I knew I couldn’t do another. It just wasn’t happening, so it was time to head straight for the bar…

Had a few porters at Millersburg brewery, and headed home. Great course, and a great time. I do think some people out there were taking it much too serious. And that mentality leads to danger if you are not experienced in that kind of terrain.

and for Chris' account of the ride:
http://mrbigring.blogspot.com/2015/04/2015-amish-country-roubiax-100k-dnf.html

Looking forward to doing it again next year…